Robinson Leads Phoenix Council Primary
Incumbent Kevin Robinson holds over 67% of early unofficial votes against challenger Michael Del Prete.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Incumbent Councilman Kevin Robinson led challenger Michael Del Prete with over 67% of early unofficial votes in Tuesday night's Phoenix City Council race. Opposition to the Ahwatukee data center did not appear to make a major impact on the contest.
Why it matters
If Robinson's lead holds, he will win the council primary outright, avoiding a runoff in March. Data center opponents had targeted him over contributions from people working for Menlo, making the race a test of that local issue.
Early unofficial returns show Robinson at over 67% and Del Prete at nearly 33% in the Phoenix City Council primary. Final certified totals are not yet available, so the margin may change as remaining ballots are counted.
The players
Kevin Robinson
Robinson is the incumbent Phoenix City Council member seeking reelection in the council primary.
Michael Del Prete
Del Prete is a challenger in the Phoenix City Council primary trailing the incumbent in early returns.
The details
Robinson, a Phoenix councilman, received a $5,000 donation that he said he would give to the Ahwatukee Community Alliance, a nonprofit formed by data center opponents. Challenger Anthony Jason Ramirez filed an ethics complaint against Kesha Hodge Washington over donations from people tied to Menlo Digital, an effort to make the data center a campaign issue.
Timeline
Tuesday night, November 3, 2026: early unofficial election returns released
March 2027: runoff would occur if no candidate wins outright
January: Justine Centanni and Stephania Lenzi take Tempe Union Governing Board seats
Political Context
Organized opposition to the Ahwatukee data center sought to make Robinson's campaign contributions an electoral issue. Early returns suggest that the effort did not dislodge the incumbent, limiting its political reach in this race.
Phoenix voters in the council primary will see the incumbent's lead determine whether a March runoff is needed. Residents concerned about data center projects in Ahwatukee should track how the certified results and any future council votes respond to that opposition.
The takeaway
Early returns show the Phoenix council race leaning decisively toward the incumbent, but final certified totals will confirm whether a runoff is avoided. Voters tracking data center policy should watch how the winner approaches the Ahwatukee project.
What happens next
A runoff in March 2027 would occur only if no candidate wins outright, which depends on final certified totals.
Further reading
Explore more on Elections coverage of Phoenix city and state races.
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